Appreciation or gratitude, as one of the six Virtues of the Heart, may seem like a very familiar emotional state that is easily expressed with the word "thank you" when one receives a gift or an honor. But let us explore this seemingly simple intelligence to see what may lie in its depths.
Gratitude is also listed as one of the three Life Principles of Sovereign Integral Consciousness in the WingMakers materials. Just as the six Virtues of the Heart are an interwoven, united intelligence that emanates from a common center in which the tone vibration of the First Source is found, so the three Life Principles also spring from the Source vibration and provide for its expansion.
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| Diagram illustrating Life Principles from the WM Philosophy chamber 1 |
If we examine Gratitude as the Life principle of the SI consciousness (Sovereign Integral), we find that in the Philosophy of Chamber 1, Gratitude is defined as the intelligence that establishes the individual's Relationship with the Universe. This is suggested by the very name of this Life principle: "Universe Relationship through Gratitude".
In order for Gratitude to become an intelligence that has the ability to connect us to the Universe, it must be strong. And strong means Unconditional. In practice, this means feeling and expressing gratitude not only for the gifts that the Universe brings us that allow us to live easily and comfortably in our "comfort zone", but also for all other aspects of life and events that make life difficult, complicated and bring the experience of a psychological state outside of our "comfort zone".
Because it is these "derailments" of life that expand and deepen our zone of interaction with the outside world. When these life experiences are processed and nurtured through deepening and expanding our sense of Gratitude, our ability to establish, maintain and strengthen our relationship with the Universe improves.
And the Universe prepares events for us that are appropriate lessons on this upward path of Self-realization.
A deepened sense of gratitude will, in time, bring with it a transformation of life's values away from the material to the emotional and on to the spiritual.
This happens when Gratitude is established as a preferred emotional state that is independent of the surrounding environment, events, and rankings of other life values. The intelligence of Gratitude then flows out of the individual into the external environment, which it illuminates and transforms with its presence, guiding event strings and becoming the supporting thread of connection between the Individual and the Oneness.
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Simon picked up a large branch that had fallen from the storm and stripped off three smaller branches, placing them like spokes of a wheel with his hand as the hub. "Do you see these lines?" Joseph nodded silently. "There´re three branches and six ends. Let´s say the center, where my hand is holding these, is love, and each of these ends represents one of the six heart virtues." Simon pointed to each end with his free hand, reciting the virtues as he went. "Appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, understanding, and valor." "Now, love lives here - the intersection - where each of these virtues converge at the hub, but love moves outward along each of these branches, and assumes the character of one of the heart virtues when it does. Love can move outward symmetrically or asymmetrically, but it is love that dons the virtues and expresses itself through the virtues." Art with text by James Mahu, from The Dohrman Prophecy |
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When Gratitude emanates from inner levels, its depth and purity is very different from simply responding with a "thank you" for a birthday present. Such reactions are often merely part of the morals we have been raised or taught to follow. However, these learned and often socially required attitudes may not be consistent with the individual's feelings and emotional disposition. Often we may hear the word "thank you" spoken, but behind it is not the pure intelligence of gratitude, but the emotional charge of irony, ridicule, sarcasm, etc. Such a word "thank you" then does not "resonate", does not sound with the vibration of equality, because it is not in harmony with the emotional state of the individual.
And thus the mind is often confused, the language is confused, because the words are not in harmony and coherence with the inner state of the individual, but their meaning is distorted to be in harmony with superficial, material values.
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It should be noted that we can let these "confused" and "false-sounding" words out of our own mouths. So, part of the practice of the Virtues of the Heart is Self-reflection, Self-observation, Self-listening, and the subsequent treating or elimination of any self-discovered ironies, sarcasms, bitternesses, and other non-pure emotional states that distort the true meaning of the words.
This can be likened to finding one's way out (navigation) of an extremely complex labyrinth of the mind, where the clarity of emotional intelligence is muted by layers upon layers upon layers of its suppression, distortion to the point that the mind remains unenlightened by the light of love flowing from the heart. This darkened, unconscious mind is then often set as the social standard that determines the meaning of the values we live.
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| Art by James Mahu from The Dohrman Prophecy |
It's freezing outside and the garden is covered in a white blanket.
I wanted to go cut some firewood,
but I couldn't even find it in the deep white drifts.
So instead of wood
I found Gratitude for a change of plan,
that the Universe creates for me.
I sit down at my computer and type,
to warm all human hearts,
when the landscape of our country
is blanketed in deep, cold snow.
Then I sing a song,
and as I do every day,
in gratitude I embrace all of life.
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